Pallone: Nuclear plants must be part of the mix

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D. 6th-Dist.) gets rave reviews from environmentalists, who typically rate his voting record at or near 100 percent. But he supports building new nuclear plants as a means of ensuring energy independent and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. He spoke with The Star-Ledger’s Editorial Page Editor Tom Moran.

Q. How do you assess the risk of a similar accident occurring in the United States?
A. There is always a risk with a nuclear plant. But the Japanese plant, where explosions occurred, was a very old plant. And you have to make a distinction between the older plants, which should be taken down, and modern plants.

Q. Oyster Creek is one of the nation’s oldest plants. Are you worried about safety there?
A. Yes. They got a license renewal and expect to stay open until 2019. I was opposed to any renewal because I was concerned about safety there.

Q. New Jersey has four nuclear plants and PSEG is considering building another in Salem County. What’s your view on that?
A. I can’t be specific on that plant, but we do need new nuclear plants. It has to be part of the mix.

Q. What do you say to environmentalists who oppose your position on nuclear power?
A. I’m a big advocate of renewable energies, like solar and wind and geothermal. I keep pushing for more subsidies for that. But that’s going to take a while. In the meantime, you need nuclear as part of the mix.

Q. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) suggested last weekend that we “put the brakes” on building new nuclear plants in the wake of the problems in Japan. Do you agree?
A. No. We need to get away from fossil fuels and we need to be more energy independent, as the volatility in the Mideast today makes clear. Nuclear has to play a role in that.

Q. Do you expect political support for nuclear power to collapse in the wake of these accidents, as it did after the nuclear accident at Three-Mile Island in 1979?
A. There will be renewed interest in safety. But it’s different now. People are more conscious of the need for energy independence now. And there’s more concern over climate change.